Heart's New Life
by Shadowgirl00
Summary: Okay.... I'm giving a go at this, also my muse is bugging me. Someone new comes to the farm....
1. Heart's Welcome

Why, oh, why, won't my muse leave me alone? See, I came up with this after writing an English Media log. So here it is.

The Arrival

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Karen's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I heard that a new guy is coming to town. After Mr. Heart died, he left his farm to his grandkid. Truth is, I'm curious of whom this guy is. I'm sure that he won't last long here, since he's from the city and everything. Meeting up with my dad, mom and Kai, I tell them the news.

"Looks like Mr. Heart's grandkid is coming here in a few days. He's going to take over the farm." I tell my folks.

Kai watches me thoughtfully, "What do you think of this Karen?"

I snorted, "So what? He ain't going to be around for long."

My mom sighs, "Karen, be nice. It's going to be hard to run a farm all by himself."

"I agreed with your mother, be nice to the lad."

I just gave them a 'humph', what did I care? All guys don't work hard enough anyways.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Popuri's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Popuri, it looks like we'll be having a new customer soon," my mom told me.

I looked up from the shelf that I was stocking, "Oh?"

"Yes, Mr. Heart's grandchild is coming here to run the farm. Which means we'll get to see plenty of him," my mom winked.

I groaned; I really wished she wouldn't do that. It was embarrassing enough as it is. I left the shop to water the flowers, though I wonder what this guy will be like? Will he be nice? Or mean? Will he be good looking? Why in the heck did I just ask that? I must be going out of my mind! I sigh; I wonder what everyone else thought about this guy. Walking around town, the mayor was preparing for everyone to meet him when he first walks into town. Like a welcome fest, I said I would help with the decorations. Getting the flowers I run into Ann.

"Hi Ann! Where are you going?" I ask her.

Ann caught her breath, "I'm going to get Rick, to tell him something. What's with the flowers?"

"It's for that new guy, the one that's going to take over the farm."

My friend grinned, "That's good, it'll make R.J. feel welcome. Bring those, uh… Now I remember! Those Bluebells, R.J. loves those, anyways I have to go, see ya!"

And she runs off again. Bluebells huh? I guess Ann must already know R.J., if that's his name. I wonder what they stand for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ann's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I quickly run, pulling Rick with me. I ran into Popuri earlier, told her to decorate the place with Bluebells. After all R.J. did grow up around Bluebells as a kid. A least that's what I remember. I'm so excited I haven't seen R.J. for so long. I wonder how much R.J. has changed. When I got home with Rick in tow, my brother and dad were waiting for me.

"So what's this thing, that you have to tell us?" My brother asked, slightly annoyed.

"R.J. is coming to take over the farm!" I yelled.

"Uh? Who's R.J.?" Rick asks.

I pouted, "You don't remember R.J.?"

"Sorry, no."

My dad stood up for Rick, "That's okay, I don't think many people remember R.J. either. There's a lot of talk, but everyone is in for a surprise." He gave this mysterious grin.

My brother grinned too, "Just in time too."

"Uh?" I didn't understand.

My brother pointed out back, "Cliff's little brother needs someone to talk care of him. So R.J. might be able to do that, and he'll be really useful once he grows up."

"Great idea!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Elli's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My grandma called me, and Jason (the bakery master) outside.

"What is it Grandma? Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Of course not! R.J. is coming to take over the farm." Grandma replied.

Both of us didn't know what she was talking about.

Grandma frowned, the smiled, "I forgot, you were really little the last time you met R.J. You probably don't remember. R.J. is Mr. Heart's grandchild. The fact is, the mayor, is holding a welcome fest for R.J. So I was wondering…"

"If we could bake something for the welcome party." Jason finished.

Grandma nodded.

"Okay, so what doesn't R.J. like?" I asked.

Grandma smiled, as if remembering something from the past, "R.J. had a thing for chocolate, maybe your famous chocolate cake will do it."

I giggled, "Okay, one chocolate cake coming up."

When I finished the cake, it had the word Welcome written in blue icing. I hope he likes it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Maria's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My father came home quite excited. He told mother and me that Mr. Heart's grandchild will be coming to take over the farm. He wanted to make a warm welcome for him. From what we know, his name is R.J. I hope he likes to read.

"Any how, I want to make this lad feel welcome." My father told us.

Mother nodded, "Maria, why not make a banner for the welcome party?"

I nod, "Okay, let's make this a party he'll never forget."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~R.J.'s POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I miss Grandpa so much. I wish he didn't die. So here I am, going to a town I haven't seen since god knows when. I wonder if Ann and her brother Allen remember me? Hope so. As I walk down the path, I smile, to bad I can't remember. When I get there, I'm in shock. The town is decorated with Bluebells. I love Bluebells, my mom kept a garden full of them growing up. I see Ann run up to me.

"R.J.!" She gives me a hug.

I hug her back, "Hi Ann, so you do remember me."

"Of course, now come on, everyone is waiting for you."

I like Ann take me to the town square. There a banner saying "Welcome R.J.!" was written. The place was full of Bluebells. A girl with short brown hair, with a blue dress and apron was holding a cake. Chocolate, hmmm… I'm in for a treat that's for sure. That's when I noticed that everyone was staring at me. Did I have something on my face? Why in the heck is everyone staring at me like that?

Author's Note: I'm nuts, this came, just came; I have no reason for it. If you like it, tell me to continue. Please read and review.


	2. R.J. Is...

R

R.J. Is…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kai's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well this is a surprise. Miss. Karen, her mother and father were expecting lots of things, but this wasn't one of them. It was R.J., sure R.J. looked like a nice person, but R.J. wasn't what anyone but Ann, her brother and her father expected at all. R.J. was a girl. She had long amber hair, with one little braid running down the right side. Her eyes were forest green, she looked nervous. Why not? Everyone was staring at her in shock.

"Do I have something on my shirt or jeans?" She asked brushing off her blue shirt.

Ann giggled, "It's not that R.J. I think you better introduce yourself to everyone."

R.J. looked puzzled, but did what Ann said, "Hello, thanks for the welcome party. My name is Rachel Jessie Heart, but everyone calls me R.J."

So that's why her name is R.J.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Popuri's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It looks like mother won't bug me about the new farmer now. Wow, I can't believe it, you have to admit it's impressive for a young girl like her to take on the farm. I hope to be really good friends with her, she smiles.

"So you put up the Bluebells huh? I bet Ann told you about that," R.J. smiled.

I nod, "Yes she did, I wonder, why are Bluebells your favorite flower?"

"My mom use to grow them in her garden, lots of them," R.J. motioned, waving her arms out.

"We don't normally grow them around here," I explained, then a quickly added, "But during the Flower Festival my mother sells flower seeds that look almost like Bluebells, but they're pink. You'd like growing them, when you find the time."

R.J. grinned, "That would be great!"

"I bet you will have a beautiful garden," imagining what it would be like.

R.J. shook her head, "I doubt it, not this year, but tell you what Popuri. Next year I'll grow a whole field of those flowers."

"Sounds good, can't wait till next year then."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Elli's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I couldn't believe it; I was shocked, no, more than shocked. After all, this was the last thing I expected out of anything. Grandma on the other hand wasn't at all surprised. In fact it seemed like she was expecting it. R.J. stepped up to us and shook my free hand. I was holding the cake.

"Nice to meet you, I'm R.J."

I handed her the cake, "Here this is for you, and my name is Elli, this is the master baker Jeff, and my Grandmother," I introduced them.

Grandma smiled at R.J. "You have grown into a fine young woman Rachel, just like your mother."

"Huh?" R.J. looked confused.

Grandma laughed, "Of course you wouldn't remember me, the last time we met. You were just a baby, but my… You look so much like your mother."

"Thank you," R.J. gave a small bow.

So Grandma knew all along that R.J. was a girl. Maybe she thought it was funny as Ann did, to not tell us that little detail about her. Oh well, not like it mattered much. She seems like a nice enough girl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~R.J.'s POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, this was not what I expected, so it seems that everyone not including Ann, Gary and their dad thought I was a boy. Well, it isn't the first time that happened. Elli, I think her name is, gave me that cake. Elli's Grandma, which I wished I remembered, but I don't, welcomes me too. Everyone is so nice, even if they thought I was a boy. Ann introduces me to Rick her cousin. He's nice, a bit shocked like everyone else. In fact he kept stammering to me. Oh, well.

The mayor comes up to welcome me, "Hello there, you have surprised us all R.J."

I shake his hand and smile, "Sorry about that," then I eyed Ann, "But would have thought that Ann would have told you all."

"And spoil the fun? No way R.J." Ann laughed.

I shook my head, that's Ann for you. She's always like that; Gary pulls me away from the crowd.

"R.J. my pop and I were wondering if you would like to have a horse." Gary told me.

"A horse, wow really?" I couldn't believe it. I always wanted a horse.

Gary nodded, "Cliff's little brother, of course you will have to enter the local horse race."

"Sure I will, if no minds a girl riding of course." I grinned back.

"Don't think people will mind."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Karen's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, life is full of surprises. She talking to Ann's brother, I can't believe Ann didn't tell me. Well maybe R.J. will do well on the farm; after all I did say that men couldn't work harder. Maybe she could get the farm up and running.

"What was Mr. Heart thinking? Letting his granddaughter run the farm?" I heard my father ask Jeff.

"Hey, bro, I bet she won't last a month on that farm." I heard Ken say to Stu.

I did my best not to yell at either of them. How dare they! I bet R.J. will do great on that farm. Men, they are so, I don't even have a word for it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Maria's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It must take a lot of courage for her to take on this task by herself. She doesn't at all seem to mind that some people think it's strange for her to take over the farm. I just hope everyone will be nice to her, after all it must be really different here, than in the city. Karen is already greeting R.J., but then again, I think she has respect for her.

Karen shakes R.J.'s hand, "I'm Karen, and my family runs the vineyard."

"Nice to meet you."

"You too, nice to see someone has the backbone to at least try to get the farm up and running."

R.J. raises a brow, "Backbone huh? I just hope I know what I'm doing."

"You'll get use to it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Rick's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wow, R.J. is a girl, a very pretty girl too. Though I bet she's just as much as a tomboy as Ann. I'm just watching her, I normally don't talk with many people. A tomboy yes, but she's a planner too, she talking how she'll get the farm up and running with Uncle.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~R.J.'s POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What a day, cake, flowers, a wonderful welcome party. I told Gary I would pick up the horse (whom I now call Tenshi) as soon as I get a brush of him. Talking to Rick the brush will cost about 600. I don't have that kind of money. Better take care of the farm first. Hope everything turns out okay.

Author's Note: Hehe, didn't see that one coming did you? Please read and review. If you want more, just tell me.


	3. Getting Started

Getting Started

Getting Started

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~R.J.'s POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of the hardest things about living alone, in a place you barely remember is getting a run down place up and running again. Doing this on a farm is probably harder. You have no control over the weather, and you never know what life is going to give you. The first thing that woke me up that morning was my dog Kitty. Don't ask me why, Grandfather had a strange sense of humor, and called the dog Kitty. Anyways Kitty woke me up, by jumping on the bed and licking me till I got up. Then I pulled out a handkerchief to tie around my head, to keep the hair out. By the time I was out the door, Harris was already up and putting mail in the mailbox.

I waved, "Harris! Hi!"

"Hello Miss. R.J." Harris greeted me.

I shook my head, "Just call me R.J. okay?"

"Okay then R.J." Harris nods.

As he leaves I flip through the mail and look out at the field. Man, it's going to be awhile to get rid of all of this junk, or at least a part of the junk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Popuri's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was putting some of the seeds on the shelf when R.J. came in. It was clear she was going to buy her first bag of seeds. I hand her a card.

R.J. looked at me puzzled, "What's this?"

"Well, since you're going to be buying flowers I'll give you this card. For every ten bags of flower seeds you buy, you get a raffle ticket. At the end of the year you can draw for prizes, there are some things you can never buy," I pointed to the card.

She tucked it in her pocket, "Thanks."

"So R.J., here to buy some seeds?" my mother asks.

R.J. nods, "Yep, cabbage seeds please."

"Right over there," Mother points to the green bag.

"Thanks," R.J. grabs it and pays her.

"So, do you have any plans?"

"Besides planting this first batch? No, I guess I'll be exploring for awhile," R.J. shrugs.

"Sounds good, get to know everyone, that way next year, you might be the Spring Goddess."

R.J. looked at me, confused, "Run that by me again."

"Spring Goddess, every year around this time, we vote for the Spring Goddess. Since you **are** a young maiden, your name will be put on the voting list. I'm sure next year you'll be it!" I smiled.

R.J. looked a bit nervous, "Uh… I'm not really sure I would be… not me thanks."

"Shy?" I smirked.

R.J. didn't say anything, I was sure now. She was a lot like Ann, probably not the dress type. Quickly she thanked Mother and left the shop, while Mother gave me that look.

"What?" I asked.

"Popuri, you know better than to bug her like that. She's new here," Mother gave me that warning voice.

"It wasn't that bad, after all, I'm sure she would make a good Spring Goddess."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Ann's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I dropped by R.J.'s to find that she wasn't there. Fortunately for me, she just came back. Well, she was running back, the minute she ran through the gate, and she stopped. Sighing, before brushing a stray lock of hair out of the way.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

R.J. grinned sheepishly, "Uh… I was being told about the Spring Goddess."

"Hehe, the day I see you as Spring Goddess, I will remember for the rest of my life," I grinned, knowing how much R.J. didn't like dresses.

"Give me a break!"

"Don't worry, I was just here to see how you're doing," I laughed.

"Fine, I'm going to plant these seeds, then explore and then go to bed," R.J. stated a matter-of-factly.

"Sounds good, tell me what you find," I answer back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Maria's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Days have passed since R.J arrived here. She visits everyone as often as she can; I guess it must be lonely to be out on the farm by herself. Then again that's the nice thing about R.J. she would always listen.

R.J. was just looking through some books, "So Maria, anything new coming up that I should know about?"

"Planting Festival, Race Day and of course, the Flower Festival," I answer back.

"Okay, at least there's always something to do around here."

"R.J."

She turns, "Yea?"

"Back in the city, do you have a guy you really liked?" I asked.

"Really like? As in really, really like?"

I nod.

"I don't think so, at least not like that," R.J. calmly picks out a book, "Is there a reason for that question?"

I blush.

As if on cue, Harris came in, he waved at the both of us before browsing through some books. Strange, he comes in here as often as he can, but he never picks out a book. I think R.J. notices that too, since she raises a brow. Just because she's a tomboy like Ann, doesn't mean she isn't observant. She looks at Harris, then to me, back to Harris and back to me. It suddenly became very quiet in the library.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~R.J's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If I were deaf, dumb and blind it would still be obvious. It would explain why Harris knows so much about Maria, and why he hangs around the library without checking out a single book. After all, I'm sure they have a lot in common. Though if they had anything in common it would be they're both shy. Okay now… they need something to talk about.

"Harris," I waved.

"Hi Miss. R.J."

I guess old habits die-hard, "You look like you're having trouble picking out a book."

"Well, I would like something interesting to read," Harris was starting look nervous.

I pointed over to Maria, "Then why not ask Maria which books are really good. I'm sure she's read the good ones."

"I-I," Maria started.

"I better be going now, bye."

Leaving the library, I decided to just check around town till the Inn opens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Karen's POV~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've always heard or seen many things in my time working here. Here you can hear the latest gossip, if anything interesting happened. Here would be the place to find out. Of course people were buzzing over the events that happened a few days ago. Jeff looked at the door in surprise. I turn to find that R.J. was there. Well, well, I guess even a girl farmer needs a place to rest up and talk. I walked up to her as she sits down by herself at a table, "So, what will it be R.J.?"

Looking up she shrugs, "Dunno, I'm really just hanging around here before I go home."

"Uh huh, planning to see what's new?"

"Something like that…" R.J. trailed off.

I sit down beside her, "Problems? Men being jerks?"

She laughs, "You really think men are jerks don't you?"

"No, they're lazy and they're jerks," I answer back grinning.

Rapping her fingers on the table, R.J. was in deep thought, "I feel kinda of out place here. I'm mean, with you girls, the kids, and your moms, everything is fine, but… all of the guys look at me kinda of strangely, you know?"

"It's not everyday a girl comes to take over a farm, the closest thing we have to something doing anything like that is Ann, but she doesn't run the range by herself."

"The only guys that believe in me is Rick and Gary," R.J. said in frustration.

"Don't worry, you'll fit in so enough," I said.

R.J. nods, smiling a bit. Somehow I had the strangest feeling that things were going to get harder as time pasted.

Author's Note: So, this took a long time, a very long time. Anyways, I redid chapter 2, knowing I had some trouble. Thanks for clearing me up on the names; it's been a long time since I played the game. If anyone knows Popuri's father's name and the name of the guy and his bird that shows up after the horse races I would really love it. Also, since there could be so many out comes, I'm also asking what would you like to see in this story. So first question for this story:

Who should be the Spring Goddess?


End file.
